The Time (band)

The Time (band)
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Name	The Time
Background	group_or_band
Origin	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Years active	1981–present
Label	Warner Bros. Records, Paisley Park Records
Associated acts	Prince (musician), Jellybean Johnson, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, TaMara and the Seen

The Time (band) was an American funk and R&B group formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1981. Closely associated with Prince (musician) and the Minneapolis sound, the group combined funk, soul, pop, and new wave influences into a distinctive stage persona led by frontman Morris Day and drummer Jellybean Johnson. The Time achieved commercial success in the 1980s with hits that bridged R&B charts, Billboard 200 appearances, and appearances in the film Purple Rain.

History

Formed from musicians who had worked with Prince (musician), producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Morris Day, Jellybean Johnson, Jesse Johnson (musician), Mark Cardenas, and Terry Lewis contributed to the early lineup tied to Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The group's debut album, produced principally by Prince (musician) under pseudonyms that referenced Minneapolis collaborators, led to touring with acts such as Prince and the Revolution and session work for artists like Sheila E. and Vanity 6. Internal conflicts and disputes over songwriting credits precipitated lineup changes and a hiatus in the late 1980s, after which surviving members regrouped for reunions, recording sessions, and tours that involved collaborations with artists from the New Jack Swing era and Contemporary R&B charts. In subsequent decades, members participated in projects connected to Paisley Park, benefit concerts, and anniversary shows alongside musicians from the broader Twin Cities music scene.

Musical style and influences

The band's sound epitomized the Minneapolis sound—a synthesis of funk, R&B, pop, rock, and new wave—drawing on influences from performers and producers like James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, and contemporaries including Prince (musician), Joni Mitchell-era studio approaches, and the production aesthetics of Quincy Jones. Use of synthesizers such as the Oberheim OB-X and drum machines like the Linn LM-1 aligned The Time with studio innovations seen in 1980s pop music and synth-pop acts like Depeche Mode and New Order. Vocal stylings and stage banter echoed traditions from Motown Records performers and funk ensembles including Parliament-Funkadelic, while songwriting structures incorporated the terse grooves and call-and-response patterns prominent in soul music and funk rock.

Band members

Core and notable contributors across eras included frontman Morris Day, guitarist Jesse Johnson (musician), drummer Jellybean Johnson, keyboardists Monte Moir, Jimmy Jam (James Harris III), Terry Lewis, bassist Mark Cardenas, and multi-instrumentalists who later worked with acts such as Janet Jackson, Human League, and TaMara and the Seen. Session and touring personnel frequently overlapped with members of The Revolution, Lipps Inc. affiliates, and Minneapolis studio collectives that supported recordings for Apollonia 6 and Sheila E.. Lineup evolution reflected departures to pursue production careers, solo albums on Warner Bros. Records, and collaborative credits on records by artists like Boyz II Men and Usher.

Discography

Studio albums included releases that charted on Billboard 200 and Billboard R&B Albums listings, featuring singles that reached the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. Key albums and singles were released through Warner Bros. Records and connected with Paisley Park Records distribution, with posthumous compilations, live albums, and reissues appearing alongside archival material from sessions associated with Prince (musician), Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Minneapolis studio archives. The catalog encompasses collaborations with film soundtracks such as Purple Rain, anthology collections tied to countercultural music movements of the 1980s, and later releases timed with reunion tours.

Live performances and tours

Touring history involved support and co-billing with Prince and the Revolution, appearances at venues in Minneapolis, Minnesota and arenas across North America, and festival slots alongside artists from labels like Motown Records and Warner Bros. Records rosters. The band's theatrical stage presence—marked by choreographed routines, comedic interludes with Morris Day and co-lead Jellybean Johnson, and fashion referencing 1980s aesthetics—placed them on bills with acts including Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, and Rick James. The Time's involvement with the Purple Rain tour and film promotion amplified crossover exposure on television programs such as Saturday Night Live and award shows tied to MTV and industry trade events.

Legacy and influence

The Time's integration of funk grooves, synth-driven arrangements, and performance theatrics influenced subsequent R&B and Hip hop producers, including teams like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who shaped projects for Janet Jackson and New Edition. Their aesthetic and Minneapolis-linked production techniques informed the sonic palette of New Jack Swing innovators, neo-soul artists, and contemporary producers sampling 1980s funk on records by Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, and OutKast. The group's catalog and stage persona have been cited in retrospectives on Prince (musician), the Minneapolis sound, and modern revivals of funk by bands such as Vulfpeck and artists involved with D'Angelo revival movements. Preservation efforts at Paisley Park-adjacent archives and inclusion in music histories of American popular music underscore The Time's role in bridging R&B traditions and 1980s production innovations.

Category:Funk musical groups Category:Musical groups from Minnesota